When The Future Beckons
by aerialla1
Summary: Buffy/Firefly/Highlander Crossover What happens when Buffy gets bored and wishes for an adventure. First part crossovers will come in future chapters. - Buffy/Mal - some Buffy/Methos
1. Chapter 1

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**Disclaimer All characters from Buffy,Angel,Firefly is the property of Mutant Enemy and Fox, Highlander is the property of Davis-Panzer. No infringements are intended and no property is gained from this material. It is for entertainment purposes only and under no affiliation with the above companies.**

When The Future Beckons

**Chapter 1 Do Wishes Not Made Out Loud Still Count?**

It had been a satisfying night on the Cleveland Hellmouth. Buffy patrolled through the alleyways catching peaks of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The free concerts they did in the summer had a way of bringing in the vamps, though now after putting five of them to rest the place was quiet for the night. The music tonight would have been heaven for Spike. The blaring Punk Rock covers from the indie bands would have had him on a high for weeks. She was actually surprised he hadn't shown up for it. Heading toward the beautifully lit museum the breeze came off Lake Erie and lifted the hair from her hot face. It was no surprise that there weren't more beasties out tonight, it was too damn hot. With a near record breaking heat wave, even the vamps were sticking to indoors.

Things between her and Spike now were good. She'd found out he was alive again due to a jealous Immortal. The guy couldn't wait to gloat to her about how he'd gotten the better of Spike and Angel when they had come to Italy. He had been mistaken if he had thought the news would amuse her, she hadn't been laughing when she'd broken his jaw with her fist and stormed out of his mansion. The first thing she had done was to track down Andrew and his groupies and had gotten the story from him. Next she had called Giles, only to find out that a big show down was going on in LA, seems Hell was getting ready to open there literally. It hadn't taken long to pack a bag and hop on the next plane to LA.

The night had pretty much been like this one, scorching. But it had been from hell coming forth, not just the normal "Global Warming." The closer she had gotten to Angel's location, the hotter it had become. Pot holes were bursting forth from the ground, even though the rain poured down. Her boots were sticky on the melting blacktop and she had to run quickly to keep them from melting with it. She was only a block away when a dragon shot into the night's sky. That night she had ran like she never had before. The horror she saw before her eyes almost brought her to her knees, especially when she saw them in the thickest of the fray. Side by side they all fought, beating back the legion of demons that spilled from the earth. Fatigue set in and at times they had to run just to get to better ground. It had been near dawn when the calvary had showed up. Fifty slayers and the rest of the Scooby gang. At the time she didn't ask questions and neither did she answer any, she was just grateful that they were with her.

It was after dawn by the time that everything was winding down. Willow and several members of the London coven managed to close the point from where the demons were coming. She was swiping the head off a demon with the scythe when she saw the spear fly through the air. Calling his name and saying a prayer Buffy watched as the spear found it's mark, embedded in Spike's torso. It had been thrown with such a force that it planted itself into the ground . Buffy watched in horror as Spike slid down the spear until he was embedded into the ground. At least her prayer had been heard because he was hurt but did not turn into dust.

Four hours after it had started, the fight was over. Twenty slayers were dead, along with Charles Gunn. Faith died saving Angel's life, taking the ax in the chest that had meant to cleave the vampire's head off. Dawn almost died saving the life of Xander, the club she took had shattered her hip and would probably leave her with a limp for the rest of her life. In the moments before she had fallen unconscious she told him that she loved him, that her childhood crush on him had never faded and that if she died at least he would be the last thing she saw.

In the end bodies lined the streets for a five block radius, human and demon, sometimes you couldn't even tell which body part went with what species. Everyone was thankful that Angel had kept the lease on the Hyperion hotel that morning. The front lobby was turned into a triage of sorts for those who wouldn't need to immediately go to the hospital. Buffy would have loved to have gone with Dawn, but knew she was fine with Xander. A few had stayed behind, including Angel to see to the dead. Illyria had decided that "the vestiges of men who weren't fit to lick her boots" needed her and that she would be accompanying them back so they could worship and learn from a real God. She was making it her job to bring them up from the slime so that they could be more useful in the future. For some reason that no one could figure out yet she had become attached to the young Slayers and had taken to calling them her pets. Spike assured everyone that it was indeed a good sign.

They had stayed for a week, making the most of Angel's hospitality and taking the time to tend to wounds. The battle had been bigger than anyone had dreamed possible, and now major recuperation would be needed. A small memorial was had for those who had fallen, it had been Buffy's job to get a hold of the parents she could and do the hardest part of her job and that was to tell someone that their child was not coming home. With every call she had made it broke a little more of her heart. Sometimes it felt like there was nothing left of her to give. A big decision had to be made, and that was who was going to take over the Cleveland Hellmouth. It had been Faith's post, her city to watch over. The action was nothing like Sunnydale, even for the size of the city. Cleveland was a pothole compared to the crater of Sunnydale.

Buffy had chosen to take Faith's place. Even this small of a hellmouth needed someone more battle tested than anyone they had. And besides it got Buffy far away from Italy and the Immortal, that it itself made Cleveland all the more enjoyable. Before she had left she knew the time of "The Talk" would come from Spike and Angel, she had been glad and prepared, heck she had even been the mature one and initiated the conversation over coffee in the kitchen one night while the wounded slept and the able patrolled. For once her vampires had acted like men and not rutting schoolboys. She explained to both of them that while she cared for both of them equally and was glad to see both of them alive that at the end of the day it was better for them to stay as friends and let the past rest where it belonged, and that was buried deep in the crater of Sunnydale.

They had both shocked her, saying they knew. It was time to let her go, and because they both loved her they would. It was then that Angel told her about Cordy, how she had come to be his best friend and that it wasn't until it was too late when he realized that he had loved her. Angel explained to her that's what he wanted, to have someone love him despite everything, despite Angelus. Cordy had. He hoped to find that again someday, with those words Angel had stood, told her to call if she ever needed him and left, leaving Spike staring into a cup of coffee and the two of them alone.

Neither she nor Spike had been able to speak at first. Both had been too amazed to see each other face to face for the first time in a year. Buffy had sat and listened while he told her the story of how he had come to LA and he and Angel's fight for the Shansu prophecy. When the time had come she explained about the Immortal and how if it wouldn't have been for him, they wouldn't be alive now. She'll never forget the words he said to her and pulled her into a hug of friendship.

"I learned something this year Pet, I learned what it's like to be a man. To stand on my own two feet and how to do the right thing, just because it's that. Even made a friend or two in the process. Couldn't have done it without you. For the first time I'm all right on my own and I don't' need a woman to bullocks it all to hell. Got Blue for that anyway." His hug had startled her, especially when it was just that a hug between friends. It threw her for a loop to feel and hear the heart beating in his chest, and to feel the warmth of his skin.

Sitting on a bench looking out over Lake Erie she realized for the first time how content she was with life and still amazed at how everything had turned out. Their had been major casualties, true, but the world was better for it. In the process a prophecy of the good had come true, for not one but two people that would always be in her heart. Seems Wesley had misread a few thing in the Shansu that Giles corrected. It was meant for two not just one. Angel and Spike were both human now with souls fully attached and even better kept their vampire skills. Angel for the past six months was on some kind of sabbatical in Tibet and Spike was helping to train the new slayers at the academy in London. For once in her life, it was actually good and chaos free.

Her sister was home doing what every young woman dreamed of, planning her wedding, Xander having popped the question during the summer once Dawn was able to walk again. Willow was in New Orleans teaching young women how to control their magic in a program set up by the London coven. Giles was running the academy and Andrew was on a book tour promoting his best selling sci-fi novel. Kennedy being the next senior slayer in line would be coming soon to take over as head Slayer here so that Buffy could join the rest in London, the decision had been made by all of them that Buffy would not be able to do what she was entitled to do, fully retire from active Slayer duty.

Yep all was content, too bad content was boring. Looking out over the water Buffy decided that she was bored. She needed a challenge, something to keep her own her toes while still letting her lead a normal life. College had been a thought that quickly faded with the need to earn a living to provide for her sister, but even that was now gone. The council paid for everything, and Dawn's shopping habits were soon to become Xander's responsibility.

What she needed was an adventure. Looking out over the water she made a wish if only in her mind. Buffy wished for adventure, but the kind of adventure where you could still have a somewhat normal life that didn't include nightly patrols. A minute later when she saw the brilliant flash of light she knew she was in trouble. Damn it couldn't a girl even keep wishes in her head anymore.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer All characters from Buffy,Angel,Firefly is the property of Mutant Enemy and Fox, Highlander is the property of Davis-Panzer. No infringements are intended and no property is gained from this material. It is for entertainment purposes only and under no affiliation with the above companies.**

**Chapt 2: With The PTB There's Always A Catch**

When Buffy could look again without the flash bulb effect she stared at the image in front of her that was bathed in a white glow.

"While I love the look truly, but is summer really the season for leather pants." Cordelia eyed Buffy from head to toe, before plopping down beside her on the bench. "Couldn't you just kill those guys up there, I mean, white, not bad, but you think they would at least give us something with more style. I've seen potato sacks with better seams that this thing." Cordelia plucked at her white flowing dress in distaste.

"Cordelia!" Buffy just stared at the woman sitting next to her at a complete loss for words. Even one of her many puns just never made it to her lips.

"Yeah. All angelfied now, only this time for good. Seems they feel I get in too much trouble if they let me come back human." Cordelia stared out over the water too, wishing herself for something that could never be, at least until they gave the go ahead. Letting out a loud sigh she turned at looked at her new charge. Boy this assignment was going to be a barrel of laughs, she could see it now. Arch nemesis forced to work together by the PTB. She was so lost in her own world that she didn't hear Buffy at first.

"Cordelia?...Cordelia?"

"Hmmm?"

"Is there a reason why you're here? Cordy!" The last part was exclaimed at her and a hand began waving in front of her face.

"Oh, yeah that. Sorry. Seems the PTB have a proposal for you, a way of making your little wish, which they heard by the way come true." Turning she looked at Buffy and hoped that for both of their sakes that this little idea by the Powers would work out the way that everyone wanted it.

"And that would just happen to be." Buffy got more comfortable in her seat, turning to look fully at Cordy.

"They have a place where you are needed, not just because you're The Slayer, but because of the person who you are and the one you will become. You hear that and it just kind of sits on you like a lead weight doesn't it. I felt the same thing when they told me, and now here I am." Cordy looked saddened as she looked out toward the water again. "If you're interested I can tell you some more." Cordy wanted to talk about anything but the inevitable that was bound to come up.

"So where is this place, I'm taking it's not here." Buffy tried to drown that little part of her that flared with excitement. "Better yet, just tell me everything."

"If I have to tell you everything now, then we'd better go someplace more comfortable, this bench is already getting too hard. I could also really use some coffee. I haven't been human in more than a year and right now this body is craving hot, burn your insides like acid, coffee." In a blink Cordelia had changed clothes to a pretty summer dress and this season's heels, making Buffy jealous. Even as an angel Cordy always seemed to have the perfect style.

"We can go back to my place, I'll make some espressos and we can talk." Buffy stood. Cordelia grabbed her hand and in an instant they were in Buffy's loft apartment.

"Neat trick." Buffy gained her bearings and went into the small galley kitchen leaving Cordy in the living room to make herself at home.

"Yeah it's one of the perks. Besides never having to shop for clothes. All I have to do is imagine it and poof I'm wearing it. Too bad no one else ever gets to see me in anything though. Up there it's all white robes and flat sandals. Not to mention no makeup or hairdressers. You can see now why I jumped at this opportunity." Cordelia was studying herself in the only shiny object around, the toaster that Buffy had forgotten to put away that morning. Making Buffy watch in amusement as Cordelia's hairstyle and makeup kept changing with every blink of her eyes.

When the espressos were finished Buffy pushed one toward Cordy glad that she had finally settled on one hairstyle. If Buffy wouldn't have known better she would have said that Cordy looked identical to how she had ten minutes ago when they first got here. Fortunately, for all mankind's sake she kept her mouth and her pithy comments to herself.

"So you still haven't told me about what seems to be our adventure and not just mine." Making a face as she sipped the bitter brew she remembered why she only made espresso and never drank it without a heavy dose of cream and sugar. For the sake of time and curiosity she drank the hot coffee in one gulp hoping the burn would at least keep her quiet while Cordy talked.

"What would you say to helping out someplace where there are no known demons except for the human variety, a place where the evil lies in a group of people and not from a hellmouth?" Cordy sipped and looked at the anticipation on Buffy's face, glad that this was going better than she had imagined. She and Buffy had never ended high school on speaking terms let alone friendly, she was glad for one that she had changed. Yeah she was still the same person, but she liked to think that her boys had made her kinder and gentler somehow, for that she owed them everything.

"I would have to say that I am all ears." The thought of someplace new frightened her, but also excited Buffy in a way that she had never felt before. But knowing the powers there were conditions, weren't there always conditions. She would probably end up the only demon in a demonless world and running for her life. Yep with the powers it was all sun and sand until you realized you were in hell. "So where exactly is this place, some hell dimension, or just an alternate reality." Getting up she took her cup into the kitchen to get some more coffee, for some reason she was going to need it.

"Neither." Cordy did not look up from her cup.

"How can it not be one or the other, hello, there is no place on earth that doesn't have demons!" Buffy decided that maybe more coffee wasn't a good thing and set her cup in the sink before sitting back down and looking at Cordelia.

"Well, that's the tricky part, you see where we would be going Earth doesn't exist anymore. It's simply known as The Earth That Was." Cordelia like Buffy set her cup aside the strong coffee hitting her empty stomach like a bowling ball, maybe coffee the first thing back hadn't been a good idea. Thinking really hard a hot fudge sundae appeared in front of her, now there was some comfort food.

"So like I said, alternate dimension." Buffy watched her eyes widening as Cordelia leaped at the ice cream with gusto finishing it before the ice cream even had time to think of melting. Evidently ice cream headaches didn't bother angels.

"Nope, where we would be heading is still on this plane of existence." Cordy was indeed being a little smug about the details. Hey her guys made her kinder and gentler, but she was still all Cordelia Chase on the inside.

"How can that be possible? Unless..." Buffy paused and looked at Cordelia, her eyes full of questions that her tongue couldn't seem to wrap words around. "So all Star Trek, huh. Man, Andrew and Xander are going to have a blast." Just thinking about it would be enough to give her friends all sorts of happy for the rest of their lives.

"No not Star Trek, not that far, 510 years give or take a few months." The next words were going to be the make it or break it part of the deal. Either Buffy would accept it or not. "It will only be you and me going, and Buffy, it's a one way deal, we won't be coming back."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer All characters from Buffy,Angel,Firefly is the property of Mutant Enemy and Fox, Highlander is the property of Davis-Panzer. No infringements are intended and no property is gained from this material. It is for entertainment purposes only and under no affiliation with the above companies.**

**Chapt 3: Some Gifts are Never Free**

Buffy's face held a thoughtful shock. She wanted adventures, yes, but could she live without every person that made up her family? Things were finally okay, life was of the good, granted yeah boring, but still good. Would she really be able to leave all of them behind just to fulfill a whim, a passing fancy of thought that should never have crossed her mind?

Slowly other thoughts laid themselves out in front of her. The feelings of not belonging her any more. That her job her was finished. This time she could say a proper goodbye to everyone. One thought kept running over and over, she Buffy Summers, The Slayer, could have a life away from demons and apocalypse, a real life without facing yet another early grave. This might be the only chance she got of living to a ripe old age with fat grandchildren at her feet.

A smile broke Buffy's lips only to be pulled away just as quickly, the vision of Dawn and Xander on their wedding day pulling from her with an almost physical force. Suddenly the coffee and dinner she had earlier hit her stomach like a ton of bricks. How could she even think of leaving at such a huge time in her sister's life? Dawn had been through so much and deserved all of the happiness that she could get from life, how could Buffy selfishly destroy this time for her.

Cordy watched silently as the hope that had just filled Buffy's eyes moments before crashed and burned leaving her look like she was going to be ill at any moment. Soon and quicker than she had thought Cordy was going to use a bit of information that the Powers had granted her into the future of this world. They were trying to give her a gift, one that she should have gotten a few years ago. Now with Buffy alive again the rules had changed, they could still give her the peace that she had died for and still give her the fight that The Slayer aspect of her thrived and craved for. Granted the Powers always had a way of making their gifts work for them, Cordy herself could attest to that fact. Whatever gifts they would receive would always come with a price, one just had to decide if the price was right and unlike the game show no one had an audience calling out the answers.

"How can I?" Buffy looked at Cordelia wanted this new start no matter what the cost, but unwilling, and seemingly unable to pay the price the Powers seemed to want out of her.

"First things first, get on the phone. Call everyone and set up a meeting. Meetings are what the Scoobies do best, then you leave the rest up to me." Cordelia stood and shimmered back into her white robe. "Getting them all together is the easy part, everything will be easier explained to all of them at once, rather than one at a time. For whatever reason, we're in this together. I'll explain more of that to you to later. When the whole gang is together just give me a shout, they are calling me back so I can't stay, but I'll be there." Buffy was standing and just looking at her in such a manner that Cordy couldn't help it and did something so out of character that it shocked the both of them right to the core. With a quickness Cordelia actually hugged the other girl in comfort before disappearing from sight.

For more than a moment Buffy just stood in the same spot feeling like Alice trapped in Wonderland. The only words that seemed to form in her head were the same words as Alice. "Curiouser and Curiouser." The jangle of the telephone snapped Buffy out of her daze and back in to the present. The called I. D. showed that it was Dawn, leaving her feeling dread at the thought of the hour or so her sister was going to ramble on about wedding plans that Buffy probably wouldn't get to see the culmination of. Man this wanting a new life was starting to suck.

"Buffy, how soon can you get here?" Dawn's voice on the other end, was frantic, not with the sound of worry, but frantic nonetheless. The sounds of a commotion could be heard in the background but not loud enough that Buffy could figure out just what the sounds were.

"As soon as I can pack a bag and catch a flight, why?" Concern overwhelmed every other feeling that had bombarded Buffy just moments before.

"Pack enough for a week, maybe two if things don't work out exactly as planned, just in case." There was a sound of metal on metal and Dawn yelling into the background for quiet.

"Dawn's what's going on?" The plastic of the phone was showing and giving off the sounds of strain as Buffy gripped the receiver tight enough to crack the casing.

"Just get here as soon as possible, don't bother with weapons, just pack clothes and anything else you'll need. Hurry Buffy, you have to be here before we can tell everyone. Oh no!..." Dawn's voice faded as the receiver was dropped and footsteps could be heard running.

"Buffy, are you there?" Xander's voice came through out of breath and tired. It sounded like he'd just been running a marathon.

"I'm here, what's going on Xander? What's happened to Dawn?" Tears were threatening to spill from her eyes at the thought of her sister being hurt and her on the other side of the world and not be able to do anything about it. How could she even think of going away and leaving them, they needed her. This adventure into the future was just not meant to be. Now Buffy didn't know if the tears were for her sister or for her. Man why did life have to be always about the suckage.

"Dawn's going to be fine Buffy, just get here as soon as possible. As soon as you get here, we'll fill you in on everything and like Dawn said pack enough for at least two weeks." That damn metal clanging could be heard again and this time there were animal type noises mixed in along with the silence that had come from Xander hanging up the phone.  
With a quick call to the local cab company and to the airport to secure a flight that was leaving within the hour she was off and racing.

In a flash Buffy was in the bedroom pulling out suitcases. Throwing clothes off hangers and out of drawers and into the cases that were on the bed and the floor. In the bathroom she opened the closet door and threw stuff in her bag without thinking twice about anything that she would need. Everything was pretty much always kept ready to go just in case. As an afterthought Buffy added the worn photo albums of her mothers and her own shoe box full of memories. They came with her everywhere since they are the only things that had made it out of Sunnydale. She'd hidden them on the bus that morning, just like now. They gave her strength and right now to get to Dawn she was going to need all the strength she could tap into.

After a quick call for a cab she hefted the cases onto one another she secured them with the traveling strap, grabbed her handbag and left the loft, locking the door behind her. She'd be in London tomorrow morning luck on her side in the way of an almost non stop flight. All she could do now was wait for answers and pray that everything was all right. She didn't want to think about another life to live right now when people in this life needed her. It was all she could do not to phone Willow and have her magic her to London. Chances were good though that Dawn had already called Willow and she like Buffy was already on her way to London, and whenever Willow tended to still use her power for personal gain it tended to go haywire and backfire.

Tomorrow morning would have to do, there was no getting to London any quicker, she just hoped that everyone she loved wouldn't be dead by the time she was through customs.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer All characters from Buffy,Angel,Firefly is the property of Mutant Enemy and Fox, Highlander is the property of Davis-Panzer. No infringements are intended and no property is gained from this material. It is for entertainment purposes only and under no affiliation with the above companies.**

**Chapt 4: ****Weary Traveler **

It had been all she could do not to punch the customs official dead in his face when he had decided with an evil grin that she was going to have to be searched. The asshole had even had the disgust to lick his lips as his beady eyes had trailed over her body, taking in the cool summer blouse and her fitted leather pants. Buffy's feet were bare having already handed her boots over and her purse, the only carry on she had, was being searched. Thank goodness at the request of Giles she had stopped carrying a stake in there. On the verge of making a comment that would have gotten her a room of her own along with a strip search, Buffy was glad when another official noticed the delay and stepped in with a hard hand to the shoulder of the creep.

"Miss, you're free to go." Never so thankful in her life Buffy grabbed her boots and purse and walked not even bothering to stop, just continued walking through the concourse in her bare feet. The in-flight phone call to Dawn hadn't given her any more answers to the questions that she was seeking, only that someone would be at the airport to pick her up and help her with bags.

The first common area she came to after the gate Buffy stopped and put on her boots, still trying to shake the heebie geebies from the earlier scene. It was one thing when vampires did it, they were usually staked and dusted before they had the chance to lick their lips at her, but when a human did it, there was just a whole new level to the ick factor. Finishing with the last boot, she pulled her pant leg down before grabbing the hand from behind with painful accuracy that came close to grabbing her shoulder. Whirling, upright Buffy took the arm with her, bending it painfully as she did so.

"Bloody hell, Slayer! I do have a circulation now, as you very well know." Spike face while wasn't filled with pain was telling the signs of aggravation and annoyance.

"Circulation, yes, sense still not so much." Letting go of his arm, Buffy got a good look at Spike. You would think now human there would be some changes, but other than a more healthy glow to his complexion he was still the same, and like her wearing leather in summer, except his was his trademark duster. "So, you're my ride. What's going on Spike, no one will tell me anything? Is Dawn all right, Xander? Is Willow here yet, or will she be arriving soon?" The questions flew out of her mouth at such a furious pace that all Spike could do was blink and try to follow along.

"One, question at a time Pet. Let's walk and get your bags and I'll tell you what I can along the way. First things, first. It's good to see you Buffy." Spike pulled her into a friendly hug glad when she reciprocated. If he couldn't have her love, he was at least grateful for her friendship. He would always love her though, nothing could ever take that away. "So lets, walk and I'll answer your questions. I believe the first one is what's going on. Frankly, I don't have a bloody clue. I get into town and the first bloody thing I hear is, Spike, pick Buffy up at the airport and bring her to headquarters straight away. No, good morning, want a donut, how bout' a cup of coffee, just get your ass to the airport like a good little flunkie. Rupert should be glad that I don't eat humans anymore or he would have been breakfast." Buffy feeling weary after a long flight were she slept little and worried much was content to follow Spike as he threaded them through Heathrow to Baggage Claim. The fact that he knew as little as she was not a balm for her conscious.

"As far as Dawn goes I didn't see her this morning, but I'm sure Nibblet and the Whelp are fine. Haven't heard a soddin' thing about Red, me and Blue just got back from Tibet. Peaches ran into another sect of vampire monks, now that was a slap and a tickle. Blue had fun making them kneel before her then she'd stake them." When Buffy turned and looked confusion marring her features Spike shrugged. "You had to be there." He grabbed her arm when he turned quickly and made his way down a flight of stairs, Buffy was so tired she was falling asleep on her feet. She tried to keep up with his pace until they were finally picking up her bags and heading out to the car that now contained two tickets and was close to being towed.

"Hey now, I'm here. Just give me the soddin' tickets and be done with it mate." Spike all but ripped the tickets out of the man's hands then turned dismissing him completely. Buffy's luggage filled not only the trunk but the back seat, and she'd only brought the three. "What the hell's the matter with England and these damn tin can cars, need to have Rupe's head examined. He tries to fit four Slayers in this bloody thing. Now the DeSoto, she was a thing of beauty, could have put seven or eight prepubescent girls in her with plenty of room to spare." Spike made sure that Buffy was belted, smiling faintly as he noticed she was almost asleep. Poor thing was dead on her feet, and that was something he knew a thing or two about. What ever was up with Dawn and Xander, Spike hoped ended quickly and let Buffy get back to her life. When were they all going to learn just to let her go, heaven help them all because even he couldn't seem to do it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer All characters from Buffy,Angel,Firefly is the property of Mutant Enemy and Fox, Highlander is the property of Davis-Panzer. No infringements are intended and no property is gained from this material. It is for entertainment purposes only and under no affiliation with the above companies.**

**Chapt 5: Decisions, Questions and Answers**

Later that night, her stomach growling and a fierce headache pounding away Buffy woke up. Glancing at her watch she added five hours for the time change between London and Cleveland time and groaned, somehow between flying and sleeping she'd miss a whole day. Man she hated transatlantic flights. At least Spike had put her in her own room, luckily she still had her own room considering the amount of Slayers they seemed to find on a daily basis. Stretching the kinks out of her joints and muscles she made her way to the bathroom grabbing one of her suitcases along the way. Buffy figured she'd be much more presentable after a quick shower and a change of clothing. Anything could wait fifteen minutes when she felt and looked like hell.

Head stuck under the glorious stream of hot water she didn't hear the knock and barely heard her name being called until she felt the rush of cool air against her skin. There were only two people in this place that would dare come in on her while she was in the shower. One she would turn black and blue, the other would be a welcome relief. "Dawn?" She called out over the sound of the water.

"Yeah. I came to see if you were awake yet. I tried at dinner but you were still asleep so I figured I'd let you sleep. Sorry for calling you the way I did, we just needed you here." Dawn sat down on the toilet lid and waited for her sister.

"You have a lot of explaining to do young lady." Buffy turned the water off and grabbed her towel, wringing out her hair and drying off, she wrapped the towel around her and stepped out of the shower. Dawn was sitting, looking at her and it was hard for Buffy to stay angry when there were times she wanted to do the mom thing and put her sister over her knee. "You call me late at night, worry me to death, make me get on a plane and fly to London, all without telling me why. Now you had better start talking before I start torturing." Taking her sister's hand she pulled her up and into her arms. "I've missed you Dawny." It had been months since they'd seen each other, though they did talk a few times a week, running the Council's phone bills sky high, not to mention the daily emails.

"As soon as everyone is together I'll tell you everything. There's good and bad. I know we can all do it together that's why I arranged the meeting. Willow arrived just a few hours after you did. I just woke her up too." Dawn broke the hug and turned to walk out of the room. "Be down in the main library in fifteen minutes, I'll get something for you and Willow to eat. You're going to want to eat first." With a kiss to her big yet shorter sister's head, something that Buffy hated she left closing the bedroom door behind her. Man this was going to be harder than she thought, was the only thing on Dawn's mind as she made her way down to the kitchen.

Much laughter and merriment could be heard the closer Buffy got to the library fifteen minutes later. It didn't sound like the end of the world, which was definitely of the good. Rounding the corner into the library she stopped beholden to the sight in front of her. They were all there, a few lost and a few gained. The lost ones were there in spirit and it was almost as if she could feel them around her. For a moment she could even smell her mother's perfume and the incense that Tara always loved to burn. Cordelia was right all she had to do was to get them all together.

In the dark corner of one of the stacks in the massive room she saw Angel and his eyes fell on her first. Smiling. His face got almost the look of joy to it and then she saw the figure standing beside her. Cordelia. Smiling herself she watched as they silently went to each other before falling into each other's arms, then moving to a quiet place of their own. No one else had noticed and that was the way it was supposed to be. For a moment she just watched them all laughing together, even Spike who somehow now seemed to fit in effortlessly, even with Xander who nudged him over a bawdy comment. It was in that moment that she knew she could do this. That they would be okay without her. None of them were alone any more, they all had each other.

It was Willow that noticed her first and the exclamation of joy said it all. "Buffy!" The witch all but ran into the arms of her best friend, Xander quickly followed and it was like old time, just the three of them. Her two best friends. She could feel the love they had for her and knew they could feel hers. No matter what it would always be there, Buffy took comfort in that fact. Knowing this was going to make her proclamation that much easier. Giles hugged her next, like the father he'd always been. For once there was no worry marking his face and his eyes held the old look of Ripper, happy and mischievous.

When everything was settled she spoke. "Would someone like to tell me what's going on here? I get a call in the middle of the night, in the background I can hear fighting, and Dawn drops the phone after begging me to get here as soon as possible." Crossing her arms she put on her best Slayer face and stared each of them down, only briefly with Illyria, as all the God did was stare back as if Buffy was the cockroach under her boot.

"Well the fighting you hear was me and Giles practicing, he's been teaching me some fencing techniques so I can get my coordination down better with just one eye." Xander looked a little sheepish, the eye was still a huge sore spot for him, but was improving everyday. The eye patch was gone and instead had been replaced with a glass eye that matched the other identically. After one too many pirate jokes about him being a Captain Jack wannabe the switch had been necessary. Though Spike still tortured him on a daily basis asking him if he could be Jack's Will Turner.

"I dropped the phone because Xander hurt Giles and blood was getting everywhere, including the box that contains my wedding dress." Dawn glared at both of them, before elbowing Xander in the ribs for pure meanness.

Xander's reply of "Hey I'm tender, you didn't think of me when he got me a good one, and right where you just hit too." got a chuckle out of everyone.  
"Yeah, lucky for both of you there wasn't a drop on it or I would have cursed you both as eunuchs for the rest of your days." Dawn was still pissed about the whole thing, even though both men had apologized more than once.

"Then why in the world did you have me fly all of this way if it wasn't an emergency." With growing impatience at everyone in the vicinity Buffy began tapping her foot against the floor, waiting for an explanation and praying for a stake to materialize somewhere so that she could kill something or someone.

"Well, it's not bad news, it's good news." Dawn and Xander had their arms wrapped tightly around each other giving Xander enough space to plant a kiss on his fiancée's head. They both spoke at the same time and had the same almost sickening sweetness about them that made more than one person in the room want to heave, and not just Spike who was using all the appropriate sign language. "We're moving up the wedding. This Saturday in the garden, Andrew's going to marry us." Dawn couldn't contain her excitement any more and left her betrothed to throw her arms around her sister.

"It's so soon, are you sure." Buffy pulled away to look in Dawn's glowing face and knew that the time was coming to tell them of her own moved up plans.

"Yes, we're sure. We have other news too, you can either hear it now, or you can wait until after you have eaten, since we haven't given you a chance yet." Xander pulled Dawn back into his arms, wanting just a little bit longer before they had to give the Slayer the rest of their news.

"Let me eat first and sink this in. While I do, I want details, and please tell me that I am not wearing neon green, or green of any shade for that matter." Buffy felt a sharp pain to her ankle and knew somewhere, somehow Anya was in this room with them, and if that was true then it would explain why she had felt her mom and Tara before.

While Buffy and Willow ate, Dawn filled them in on the details, especially about Buffy's dress as Maid of Honor, which Buffy fell in love with the moment Dawn rushed out and back with it. It was during this calm that Buffy noticed something that she hadn't before. The quiet. The old Hall had been in the Giles' family for generations and could easily sleep close to a hundred girls at a time, so why wasn't there any noise, radio's blaring, laughter, fighting, TV? There was nothing, just the sound of them in the library.

"So what gives Giles, where are all the other girls?" Buffy set down her sandwich and looked at him across the table.

"In other parts of the world, or home with their families. We're managing the set up of schools around the world for the girls. Some will board, but other's will be able to live with their family while still getting their training. There were enough good Watcher's left over, that I felt comfortable letting groups of them each run a location, along with the help of other more senior Slayers. The ones that are there are good people Buffy, they were the ones out trying to protect the Potentials while Travers and the others were stuck at the Council when it blew up. We can trust the ones we have, I will vouch for each of them. So for the moment we have the place to ourselves and it's about bloody time to." Giles leaned back in his chair taking a long drink of his tea and looking more rested than Buffy had seen him in a long time. He should have been the one running the council a long time ago, maybe then so many wouldn't have been killed by the First.

"You mean no training, no girls sneaking in my room at all hours, by all that is evil thank you." Spike looked like he was ready to melt in his chair. Seeing Buffy's raised eyebrow he grinned evilly. "You have no idea what it's like to be woken up in the middle of the night by little girls afraid of thunderstorms and who don't speak a lick of English." A grape was thrown at Spike's face hitting him almost between the eyes.

"You need to tell her that they were between the ages of six and ten and that everyone of them called you Uncle Spike and followed you around like lost little puppies. It was the sweetest thing I'd ever seen, especially when you'd find him in bed reading fairy tales to them." Dawn taunted Spike like the older brother she never had and it made Buffy smile almost as much as the picture of Spike with his bitty harem.

"Hey at least I wasn't tucking them in like Blue, or kissing them goodnight neither. And the stories were the original Grimm ones, the scary ones full of monsters." Spike was trying to find any place that he could hide while Buffy was looking at Illyria a complete look of puzzlement on her face.

"The vermin tend to get sick when chilled and I choose not to have their germs putrefying my air, some won't go to sleep without a battle hymn, the brush of lips is just to see if they are warm or dead, nothing more." With a snarl she left the room, her boots tramping on the marble floors until they could no longer be heard.

None of the girls around the table could stand it any longer and all started to giggle at the thought of the demon God playing mommy to a bunch of little girls, let alone Spike.

"So what's her deal anyway?" Buffy proposed the question to Spike between bites of food.

"Don't really know Pet, some things with Blue can't be worked out easily. At time's I don't think Fred's soul was fully killed, that parts of it still live in Blue like they did with me. Blue's learning to adjust to this world, better than expected actually. Likes the kiddies because they tend to worship her and she doesn't try to kill them, though you should have seen the look on her face the first time one of them ran up to her and hugged her. Now that was a kodak moment."

With food finished and then cleaned up the time to get down to business had come, and almost too quickly for Buffy. She hadn't seen Cordelia or Angel since they had left together but she expected that they would be showing up soon.

The group was all getting settled around the huge wooden table with coffee when Xander and Dawn stood up. "Everyone we have an announcement to make. We are not just getting married this weekend because we have the place just to ourselves and family for a change, but because there is going to be a big change, not just for Dawn and I, but for everyone." Xander stopped and looked at Dawn his face glowing with excitement and love.

"We're going to have a baby, twins actually." Dawn's hands were on her stomach and for the first time Buffy noticed the roundness of it. A quiet serene hush fell over the group and it was Buffy that stood up first and enveloped both of the in her arms, she could not be happier for the both of them.

"Do you know when their due." Willow couldn't help it and placed her hands over Dawn's feeling the pure essence of life that laid within.

"Six and a half months...mom's birthday Buffy." Tears were in each sisters eyes as they held each other amongst the strong scent of their mother's perfume, they could even feel her arms around them and her love. "Willow, we'd like you to be a midwife. We want you to deliver the babies when the time comes. We also want you to be their Godmother." The tears that streamed down Willow's face was all the answer that any of them needed to know.

Taking a few steps back Buffy watched as Giles and Spike who had come back in the room before the big announcement were congratulating Xander and Dawn. The Scooby gang was growing by two, two babies, something they had never dealt with before and would now deal with it like a family. She knew it was time for her own surprise when she felt the warm hand on her shoulder and watched as Angel joined the group offering his own words for the happy couple.

"Everyone I have something to say." The words were hoarse with emotion as they came out of a throat that threatened to close with each syllable. Luckily they were loud enough that everyone took notice and turned around to look at her.

"Buffy, what's going on?" Willow knew something was wrong when she saw Cordelia and the glow that surrounded her.

"The Power's came to me with a proposition, a gift really." There were the usual mutterings from Xander about how well those always turned out, Buffy waited for everyone to quiet again.

"They are giving me the choice, seems I'm no longer needed here. But there is a place that does and they would like me to go, for us to go." Buffy looked at Cordelia, glad for her support and for once could really feel the start of a friendship with her former enemy.

"Still need you to fight the fight and what all huh." Spike looked at her knowingly. He alone knew how she felt and had felt since coming back from Heaven, that feeling of never truly belonging.

"Kinda, only this place has no demons but still has some people that could use my help." Buffy looked at the floor, finding it hard to look in her family's eyes and tell them that she didn't want to be here anymore, that it was time for her to move on. "It's not an alternate dimension, and it's not hell, all I know is that once I'm gone I can't come back." Tears slid from her cheeks as she said the words and heard the collective gasp from everyone except Angel and Cordy. Now it was time for Cordelia to step in before she changed her mind about the whole thing. She felt the pat on her arm and knew that Cordy was indeed going to do her part, which was to take control of the becomings of a small angry mob.

"Hey, Shut Up!" Her voice rang out around her, causing the yelling to finally cease. "Buffy was chosen for this because she should never have been here in the first place, every day that she is here puts something else out of alignment. The First would never have been called into play if she would not have been brought back from the dead, it upset the balance of things. If Buffy leaves then Earth will have balance for the rest of it's existence, there is still enough evil out there to take care of and that's where you guys come in. There are no more apocalypses, not in any book. Angel and Spike took care of the last one and Wolfram and Hart was destroyed." Stopping she looked at Angel and let her eyes say to him what she had said earlier, that she loved him, always would love him. "If Buffy wouldn't have made the decision to go then I wouldn't be here now. She made her decision, now either make this last week a happy one for her or not, but the choice has been made." It was odd and disconcerting for everyone in the room to see Cordelia defended Buffy like a mother tigress, she was even standing in from of her and shielding her from view.

"So what do you get out of all of this, Cordy, you never do anything for anyone without getting something great for yourself in the process." Xander broke away from Dawn and stood face to face with his old girlfriend. The one person in the room who knew part of her, but he didn't know that those parts of her didn't exist anymore.

"I'm going with her. They gave me the choice to and I took it. I get to be human again, but only if I go. If not, then I have to stay up there forever. I wasn't supposed to be made an angel but it happened and they can't take it back so they decided to give me a new future, somewhere else. Even if Buffy doesn't go, I still get to. They just thought that it would be easier on both of us if we were together. You think I want to leave the person I love behind, think again Bubba. I'd give anything to be here with him, but that's not a choice. I just hope that someday we bump into each other again so that we finally get the life we were supposed to have." Cordy folded her arms across her chest and made a wish herself and that was her spending this last week in Angel's arms. Just to have this time with him when she would probably never see him again, she wouldn't even be able to look down on him from Heaven to make sure that he was doing okay. Not caring what anyone else thought she crossed to him, tears streaming down her face and her throat choked with sobs. It hurt not to be able to touch him, to hold him, kiss him like she had just that once.

Cordy was astonished when she felt her body taking shape and then she was warm and whole. Throwing herself into Angel's arms she cried as he held her and thanked The Power That Be for granting her wish, that she would get to spend this time with Angel before her and Buffy left for the great beyond.

Buffy stood and watched just as shocked as everyone else at Cordy and Angel, her sobs could be heard even muffled by his chest. Angel was saying or singing something in a language that Buffy couldn't understand. It pained her heart some, because this was after all Angel, her first love, but also that while she had everyone in this room, Angel was all that Cordy had now.  
Looking up at her family she could tell that it was time to play twenty questions and she had a feeling that it was going to be another long night. Someone had better put on a huge pot of coffee and break out the jelly donuts because answering everything including the questions she had for herself was going to take awhile.


End file.
